To those football players that don’t know the rules of the game (primarily defensive players) please continue reading. In this Decent Community Rules of the Game we discuss players that pick up the ball after an incomplete pass, dropped ball or fumble caused by the ground and continue to run down field — apparently attempting to convince those watching, including the refs, that they have the ball within the rules and they are going to score accordingly. Do these bastards understand the rules and are trying to dupe the viewers and refs or are they trying to rewrite the rulebook? Either way, it’s not working and it would be appreciated if the rules were followed and our time and intelligence were not compromised. We know the rules and the refs know the rules. Why don’t you know the rules over-zealous football player that grabs any loose ball and runs down the field?
NFL Digest of Rules – Forward Pass
Any forward pass becomes incomplete and ball is dead if:
(a) Pass hits the ground or goes out of bounds.
(b) Pass hits the goal post or the crossbar of either team.
A forward pass is complete when a receiver clearly possesses the pass and touches the ground with both feet inbounds while in possession of the ball. If a receiver would have landed inbounds with both feet but is carried or pushed out of bounds while maintaining possession of the ball, pass is complete at the out-of-bounds spot.
NFL Digest of Rules – Fumble
The distinction between a fumble and a muff should be kept in mind in considering rules about fumbles. A fumble is the loss of player possession of the ball. A muff is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession.
A fumble may be advanced by any player on either team regardless of whether recovered before or after ball hits the ground.
A fumble that goes forward and out of bounds will return to the fumbling team at the spot of the fumble unless the ball goes out of bounds in the opponent’s end zone. In this case, it is a touchback.
On a play from scrimmage, if an offensive player fumbles anywhere on the field during fourth down, only the fumbling player is permitted to recover and/or advance the ball. If any player fumbles after the two-minute warning in a half, only the fumbling player is permitted to recover and/or advance the ball. If recovered by any other offensive player, the ball is dead at the spot of the fumble unless it is recovered behind the spot of the fumble. In that case, the ball is dead at the spot of recovery. Any defensive player may recover and/or advance any fumble at any time.
A muffed hand-to-hand snap from center is treated as a fumble.
Pretty simple.
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